Device for intimately mixing fluents and discharging the mixed fluents as a jet



April 28, 1964 c. A. CARKIN ETAL 3,130,914 DEVICE FOR INTIMATELY MIXING FLUENTS AND DISCHARGING THE Origi MIXED FLUENTS AS A JET nal Filed Feb. 28, 1958 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 DEVICE FOR INTIMATELY MIXING FLUENTS AND DISCHARGING THE MIXED 'FLUENTS AS A JET Clarence A. Carkin, Tyngsborough, Arthur T. Greenslade, Jr., Westtord (Forge Village), and Robert D. Lambert, Tyngsborough, Mass, assignors to C. G. Sargents Sons Corp., Graniteville, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Continuation of application Ser. No. 718,167, Feb. 28, 1958. This application Jan. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 166,985

4 Claims. (Cl. 239-425) The present invention relates to devices for use in intimately mixing and delivering in jets, fluents of which at least one is under pressure, and this application is a continuation of our cQ-pending application, Serial No. 718,167, filed February 28, 1958 and now abandoned.

While many other examples could be given of operations requiring that two or more fluents be intimately mixed and delivered as a jet, the invention is herein discussed primarily with reference tosprayers and humidification, generally, and particularly to the reordering of tobacco. When the moisture content or tobacco is to be brought up to a desired level, it is necessary to deliver accurately into the conditioning apparatus, at spaced zones, large volumes of atomized water without objectionable fall out.

In accordance with the invention, a device for intimately mixing fluents comprises a chamber having an exit with which a series of passages are in communication and arranged in such a converging relation that streams therethrough intersect within the chamber. Each of a second series of passages is in ejector defining communication with an appropriate one of the first named passages ensuring effectively mixed streams that intersect in the chamber. The resulting turbulence ensures that the jet discharged through the exit is a complete mixture.

With such a device, in spraying or in humidification, for example, the passages of the first series are for the fluent under the most pressure, steam or air, and are usually larger in diameter than the passages of the second series which, typically, are for water or an aqueous solution. In operation, the ejector relationship between the passages of the two series ensures elfective atomization of the water. In some cases, the relationship between the pressure on the fluents and the dimensions of the exit may advantageously be such that there is a pressure build-up in the chamber. The exit may be one or more apertures of any shape but for many uses, a single slot is preferred.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an il-lustrat-ive embodiment of the invention from which and the ensuing discussion these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of an ordering head in accordance with the invention,

FIGURES 2 and 3 are, respectively, side and rear views thereof,

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section, on an increased scale, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section taken approximately along the indicated lines 55 of FIGURE 4.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the head consists of a cap provided with a cavity having a cylindrical portion 11 opening through the machined rear face of the cap which defines a seat 12, a portion 13, shown as forwardly and inwardly tapering, and an intermediate annular seat 14. The front of the cap 10 has an exit slot 15 in communication with the cavity portion 13 while a radially disposed nipple .16

threaded through the side of the cap effects communication with the cavity portion 1 1.

The rear part of the cavity portion 11 is threaded as at '17 to receive the threaded plug part 18 out a generally indicated member 19 having an axial bore 20 opening through the rear end thereof and having threaded therein a nipple 21.

Forwandly of the plug part 18, the member 19 has a section 22 of reduced diameter and end flange 23 shaped and dimensioned to engage and compress a seal 24 against the seat 14. The cavity portions 11 and 13 are thus separated to provide forward and rearward chambers indicated at Ma and 13a respectively in FIG- URE 4. Rearwardly of the plug part 18, there is a flange 25 for compressing the seal 26 against the seat 12. Adjacent the rear end of the member 19 there is a square part 27 of reduced cross sectional dimensions to enable it to be gripped and turned with a wrench and it will be noted that the cap 10 has diametrically opposed flat zones 28 to enable it to be securely held in i3. vise.

The end flange 23 is provided with a series of forwardly converging passages 29 whose axes intersect Within the chamber 13. A series of passages 30, smaller in size than the passages 29, are in communication with the bore -20 and these forwardly diverge with each opening into an appropriate one of the passages 29 between the ends thereof. The jets 29 discharge into the cavity portion 13, and impinge within the portion 13 in the nature of free jets of entrained fluid, that is, the jets of entrained fluid are only confined by the cavity 13.

In practice, a steam line, not shown, is connected to the nipple 16 and a water line, not shown, is connected to the nipple 21 and a fan-shaped jet of fog is delivered through the exit slot 15 as the interconnection of the two series of passages ensures an effective ejector relationship resulting in the atomization of the water. In the chamber 13, the intersecting of the converging streams results in turbulence ensuring that the jet discharged through the slot 15 is thoroughly mixed.

We claim:

1. A head for use in intimately mixing fluents of which one is under pressure and for delivering them as a jet, said head comprising a cap member including first and second axially spaced seats and an end wall having an exit, said cap member having a cavity opening through said first seat and in communication with said exit and a port in communication with said cavity between said seats and a second member including first and second flanges, each for an appropriate one of said seats and sealed thereto, said first flange dividing said cavity into forward and rearward portions, and said first flange also having a series of forwardly converging passages effecting communication between said cavity portions arranged and disposed so that streams therethrough are free jets, the zone of intersection of said converging passages being spaced from said exit to permit mixing turbulence within said forward cavity portion against substantially the entire end wall, said second member having a conduit opening through its rear end and a series of forwardly diverging passages having their inner ends in communication with said conduit and each of their outer ends in communication with an appropriate one of said converging passages.

2. A head for use in intimately mixing fluents of which one is under pressure and for delivering them as a jet, said head comprising a cap member including first and second axially spaced seats and an end wall having an exit, said cap member having a cavity opening through said first seat and in communication with said exit and a port in communication with said cavity between said seats and a second member including first and second flanges, each for an appropriate one of said seats and sealed thereto, said first flange dividing said cavity into forward and rearward portions, and said first flange also having a series of forwardly converging passages effeoting communication between said cavity portions arranged and disposed so that streams tlherethrough are free jets, the cross sectional area of said forward cavity portion being greater in the zone of the intersection of said converging passages than the area defined by the outlet end, the zone of intersection being spaced from said exit to permit mixing turbulence within said mixing chamber against substantially the entire end wall thereof, said second member having a conduit opening through it rear endand a series of forwardly diverging passages having their inner ends in communication with said conduit and each of their outer ends in communication with an appropriate one of said converging passages.

I 3. In a device for use in intimately mixing fiuents of which at least one is under pressure and for delivering them as a jet, a cap member having a chamber, said cap member including an end wall having an exit, and a second member within and attached to said cap member in spaced relationship to said exit and said wall, said second member having a first series of converging passages in communication with said chamber, and so converging that streams therethrough are free jets which intersect therein to efiect their atomization through impingement, and a second series of passages each in communication with an appropriate one of the passages of said first named series in ejector establishing relation thereto, the intersection of the streams Within said chamber being spaced from said exit to effect a mixing turbulence within said chamber and against substantially the entire wall thereof.

4. In a device for use in intimately mixing fiuents of which at least one is under pressure and for delivering themas a jet, a cap member having a chamber, said cap member including an end wall having an exit, and a second member within and attached to said cap member in spaced relationship to said exit and said wall, said second member having a first series of passages in communication with said chamber, and so con-verging that streams therethrough are free jets which intersect therein to effect their atomization through impingement, and a second series of pass-ages each in communication with an appropriate one of the passages of said first named series in ejector establishing relation thereto, the intersection of the streams with-in said first chamber being spaced from said exit to effect a mixing turbulence within said chamber and against substantially the entire wall thereof, and the cross sectional area of said chamber, between the zone of such intersection and said exit, being greater than the cross sectional area defined :by the outlets of the converging series of passages.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,527,913 Payne Feb. 24, 1925 2,815,069 Garraw-ay Dec. 3, 1957 2,854,285 Barton Sept. 30, 1958 

3. IN A DEVICE FOR USE IN INTIMATELY MIXING FLUENTS OF WHICH AT LEAST ONE IS UNDER PRESSURE AND FOR DELIVERING THEM AS A JET, A CAP MEMBER HAVING A CHAMBER, SAID CAP MEMBER INCLUDING AN END WALL HAVING AN EXIT, AND A SECOND MEMBER WITHIN AND ATTACHED TO SAID CAP MEMBER IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID EXIT AND SAID WALL, SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING A FIRST SERIES OF CONVERGING PASSAGES IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHAMBER, AND SO CONVERGING THAT STREAMS THERETHROUGH ARE FREE JETS WHICH INTERSECT THEREIN TO EFFECT THEIR ATOMIZATION THROUGH IMPINGEMENT, AND A SECOND SERIES OF PASSAGES EACH IN COMMUNICATION WITH AN APPROPRIATE ONE OF THE PASSAGES OF SAID FIRST NAMED SERIES IN EJECTOR ESTABLISHING RELATION THERETO, THE INTERSECTION OF THE STREAMS WITHIN SAID CHAMBER BEING SPACED FROM SAID EXIT TO EFFECT A MIXING TURBULENCE WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND AGAINST SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE WALL THEREOF. 